My Readers Guide to This Story Might Save Your Life has Jen’s Quick Take, a character list, a plot summary and the ending explained. Let’s discuss this suspenseful story about friendship and coping with disaster.
Readers Guide to This Story Might Save Your Life
Table of contents (click to open)
Jen’s Quick Take On This Story Might Save Your Life
Character List for This Story Might Save Your Life
Plot Summary for This Story Might Save Your Life
This Story Might Save Your Life Ending Explained
Jen’s Quick Take On This Story Might Save Your Life
- Part friendship story, part love story, part story about getting through life’s challenges, This Story Might Save Your Life is technically crime fiction but told in an innovative way
- Podcasters Benny and Joy have a “disaster comedy” podcast that has just hit the big time. But something’s up with Joy and she vanishes. Who better to find her than Benny, her BFF AND a disaster expert?
- If you don’t mind epistolary elements ( I didn’t!) and enjoyed books like Big Little Lies (similar structure) or Happiness Falls (which also had a character living with a rare medical condition and a similar structure) grab this immediately. I predict it will make my Best of 2026!
- Publication Date: March 10, 2026 by Flatiron Books and Pine and Cedar.
Character List for This Story Might Save Your Life
- Benny Abbott: podcaster
- Joy Moore: narcoleptic and co-host of the podcast
- Xander: Joy’s husband; podcast producer who handles sponsors
- Mallory: Xander’s sister; assistant producer
- Sarah: Benny’s sister; a therapist
- Luna: Benny’s ex-wife; a lawyer
- Emil: Joy and Xander’s neighbor; personal trainer
- Carlotta: Emil’s husband; retired judge
- Ted: Joy and Xander’s neighbor
- Mitali:
- Gloria:
- Philip Kim: a lawyer
- Detective Price:
- Detective Keller:
Plot Summary for This Story Might Save Your Life
I just talked to someone who started this book, so I will warn you: at the beginning of this book you will be confused and that is okay. You will gradually understand what happened on “day zero” so just go with it and be patient.
If you have questions, leave them in comments! Spoilers are fine!
PART ONE: Day Zero
Joy and Benny are recording their podcast. Joy’s sister-in-law Mallory is producing.
The power suddenly goes out. Mallory blames the Santa Ana winds. Xander is meeting with lawyers. Mallory is assessing brand deals and mentions the possibility of Benny and Joy doing an in person appearance at a comedy club.
They are all avoiding talking about an “incident.” They’re all clearly jumpy about the power outage and some noises outside.
Suddenly Joy feels like she can’t do it. They agree to keep recording the next day.
Day One
Benny wakes up to see a fallen tree. Yesterday, he found a note from Joy in his pocket that said “meet me tonight here 7 PM sharp very important.”
Benny walks over to Joy’s house and lets himself in with his key. Mallory also shows up. But neither Joy nor Xander is there. Or their dog Potsie. (Joy and Benny are HUGE Happy Days fans.
Xander had also texted Benny: “Call Me.” “Then What Have You Done?”
Benny notices two things: Xander’s 1965 MG is missing, and Joy’s bathroom window is completely shattered..
Joy’s Memoir: early days
Joy is diagnosed after she falls asleep while driving her friend’s car. She decides to put off college and become a graphic designer.
Day One: Benny
Benny and Mallory are completely perplexed about the broken window. Benny logs onto Joy’s computer to search for clues.
Three hours later and with absolutely no hint as to where Joy and Xander could’ve gone, Benny explains a bit more about what happened the night before: Joy told him she wanted to take a break from the podcast and then kicked him out of the house.
Then Mallory and Benny find Potsie outside the gate.
Joy’s Memoir: 13 years ago
Joy moved to Los Angeles and met Benny at a concert. They started hanging out together regularly. Benny tells her that he got into a bit of trouble with the law in Tucson for selling psychedelics and assault.
She learns that Benny blames himself for his mother‘s car accident. Then Benny’s dad dies.
Day One: Benny
Two detectives come: Keller and Price. Benny insist that they wouldn’t have left Potsie behind.
Benny tells the police that they are negotiating a $30 million distribution deal for their “comedy survival” podcast.
We learn some of Benny and Joy’s concerns: Joy has a stalker who takes pictures of her. Xander has reported it to the police, but there’s nothing they can do. In addition, one of their ad partners got in trouble for selling toxic energy shakes, and people were upset.
Benny suggests they ask their listeners for help finding Joy, but the police discourage it. The police get techs to process the house for evidence. Benny grabs a Fonzie statue out of Joy’s office for luck.
Joy’s Memoir: 12 years ago
Benny’s dad had a heart attack. Right after that, Joy met Xander. Benny, who was overwhelmed with grief and estate tasks, didn’t know about Xander. He felt sad and abandoned by Joy.
Day One: Benny
Benny reveals that he took Joy’s computer. The night before, Joy wanted to quit the podcast and release a statement. Benny tried to talk her out of it. He asked if it was the stalker or her health and she said no.
Then Joy said she wanted to record the announcement alone. He doesn’t know what she recorded and can’t find it. Benny decides to appeals to their listeners.
Mallory’s wife Quinn shows up and they fill her in. Benny finds a folder called XYZ on the desktop of Joy’s computer. Inside are three audio tracks from their latest episodes and a PDF, also called XYZ. It’s password protected and Benny can’t open it.
Benny calls his sister Sarah, who offers to fly out. Also someone named Luna texts.
Joy’s Memoir: 11 years ago
Joy and Xander decide to find Benny a girlfriend: Luna, a divorce lawyer. After listening to their banter, Xander asks Joy if she ever slept with Benny. She says no. He asks her if she ever thought about it.
Day One: Benny
Hundreds of alleged Joy sightings pour in. Luna calls and says she needs to tell him something in person. She comes over and tells them that she’s been helping Joy with a divorce. Since Xander is part of their corporation, their divorcing would complicate their syndication deal.
Joy’s Memoir: 9 years ago
Joy asks why Xander’s mom gave up custody of her kids to their dad. Xander proposes. Benny seems uncertain about the wedding.
Day Two: Benny
The media arrives. Luna says to her knowledge, Xander didn’t know about the divorce. And that Luna was at the house Tuesday morning.
Keller says they found Joy’s phone in a drawer. She asks Benny if he knows the passcode, but he doesn’t. Keller says that Xander’s car hasn’t been sighted. She asks Benny and Mallory if they’ve seen Joy’s computer.
Joy’s Memoir: 8 years ago
Xander finds a script he wants to make and wants Joy to consider having a baby. Joy didn’t want one, but she did get pregnant.
Day Two: Benny
Benny tells Luna that when Joy recorded something, she asked about their divorce and why they couldn’t make it work and he “went there.” He’s very concerned this is on the recording.
Benny notices a text Joy sent him three days ago saying “might need you to piece together some tracks for XYZ.” XYZ is the folder that has the password protected file. There are three podcast episodes in it Joy left a clue!
Joy’s Memoir: 7 years ago
Joy lost the baby at nineteen weeks. Benny wanted to see her and when Xander refused, he told Xander that Joy never wanted a baby. Benny and Joy didn’t speak for three years.
Day Two: Benny
Benny listens to their old episodes for clues. He then finds the chapters of Joy’s memoir.
Joy’s Memoir: 4 years ago
Three years later, Benny and Joy run into each other at an art supply store. Luna is there and Joy realizes that she and Benny got married. They tell her they invited her but she claims she didn’t get an invitation. She says Xander wants to try again for a baby and that years ago she froze eggs.
Benny has an idea for a podcast.
Day Two: Benny
The police want to talk about Benny’s relationship with Xander. Mallory told them there was a lot of tension over the energy shake situation. Also someone tried to withdraw a million dollars out of their corporate account that night Xander and Joy went missing.
The police leave and Benny calls his financial advisor, who says that someone used Benny’s login credentials to withdraw the money. Benny wonders if that is why Xander texted “What have you done?”
Benny calls Luna, who comes over. She says there are people inside Joy’s house.
Joy’s Memoir: 3 years ago
Benny’s idea is a “comedy survival podcast.” When it became popular, Xander offered to take over as producer. Joy and Benny schedule a lucrative twelve city tour.
Day Two: Benny
Benny rushes to Joy’s house and Mallory is there with Quinn. They discuss the withdrawal attempt and decide that Xander must have been notified when it happened.
Benny suggests that Xander tried to withdraw the money, which Mallory and Luna explain makes no sense. Benny insists.
As he cleans, Benny hears Quinn and Mallory arguing. Carlotta and Emil tell them there’s a search party.
Joy’s Memoir: 20 months ago
While on a tour stop in Savannah, Benny and Joy order room service and he tells her that Luna is re-evaluating their marriage. Joy falls asleep on his bed. Xander freaks out.
Day Three: Benny
Benny listens to more episodes, including on about dangerous household appliances. Benny buys a house near Joy.
Joy’s Memoir: 16 months ago
Before they go on stage, Benny and Joy tell each other they are their favorite person. Afterwards, Xander tells her “I saw you backstage” and asks if she kissed Benny. Xander then tries to keep them apart. With the money from the tour, Xander buys a house without consulting Joy. Xander starts being even more protective and smothering.
Day Three: Benny
Sarah flies in from Connecticut. She asks Benny if there are any common threads in all three episodes and Benny notices that Joy mentions their old apartment building, Chez Moi, several times.
Joy’s Memoir: 12 months ago
Joy tells Xander she needs space. He tells her that many people would find being married to her a burden. He goes out to a concert and the power in their house goes out. Xander comes home to find her asleep on the kitchen floor holding a knife.
He buys a video baby monitor so he can watch her and she throws it against the wall, saying “we don’t have a baby.” He says “maybe that’s for the best.” She is furious and Xander holds her down until she falls asleep. The next day she has marks on her. It wasn’t the first time.
Day Three: Benny
Sarah and Benny drive to Chez Moi, now Chez Nous, but Joy is not there.
Sarah asks why Joy asked Benny to come over at a specific time, and left a note in his pocket.
She also asks why Joy is leaving her husband. Is he controlling? Benny mentions that Luna thinks maybe Joy used his credentials to try to withdraw the money, and Xander stopped her. Has Joy been wearing more long sleeves.
Joy’s Memoir: 9 months ago
Joy kept getting more stalker photos. Benny tells her he’s getting a divorce.
Joy shows Benny a house only a few blocks from hers. Xander needs an assistant and suggests his sister. Joy and Benny adopt sibling puppies and start negotiating a distribution deal and a book.
Benny and Joy get an anonymous email about the toxic protein shakes they’ve been advertising on the podcast. Joy goes to see his newly renovated house, which she adores. She tells him she needs a hug, and then the stalker sends a photo of them embracing.
Day Three: Benny
Benny, Quinn, Mallory and Sarah join a neighborhood search party and are assigned to walk a part of the hillside. Sarah draw out Quinn, who admits that she really dislikes Xander.
Benny thinks more about Joy’s texts and the episodes and finally figures the password out.
Joy’s Memoir: 2 months ago
Xander is angry about the embrace photo. Benny is convinced that Ted is the stalker.
The protein shake is recalled. Xander is furious that they didn’t tell him about the anonymous email.
Mallory catches Joy reading an article about divorce. Xander apologizes for his past behavior.
The next morning she hears Mallory and Xander arguing. Joy checks Xander’s phone and realizes that Mallory has been spying on her for Xander.
Joy takes Potsie and walks to Benny’s house. Ted starts taking photos of her and she freaks out. She doesn’t get a chance to tell Benny. She talks to Luna instead. She is still afraid.
Day Three: Benny
We FINALLY hear what happened at 7 pm! Joy told Benny they need to put the podcast on hiatus. She can’t tell him why. She wants to put out a statement. She starts recording, then stops and says she needs to do it alone.
She asks Benny about the reasons for his divorce. He says that Luna knew he could never love her enough. Because he was in love with Joy. She doesn’t answer and he asks her what Xander did. She tells him to leave.
Keller calls. They found a body: Xander’s body.
PART TWO: Day Three: Joy
There’s a hammering on the door. She’s in pain. Someone drops food at the door. She needs to eat for the baby.
Day Three: Benny
Benny learns that Xander’s body was found beside his MG. On Tuesday night, he drove off a curve and crashed. Keller asks him how many fire extinguishers he owns (two). And how many Joy owns (one).
Keller asks Benny about Joy’s memoir. He hands over a copy and waits while they read it. Keller comes back in and says they talked to Mallory.
Keller asks Benny to talk her through Tuesday night. He says they started recording an episode, but then stops, realizing that Mallory must have found the recording.
Their conversation about Luna knowing he was in love with Joy is on the recording. Keller plays him the recording, which includes him threatening to kill Xander if he hurt her.
Day Four: Joy
After the episode with Xander, Joy woke up on the sofa with an ice pack on her face. She realizes that the color of her birth control pills changed three months ago. She realizes she must be two months pregnant.
Joy goes to the computer lab of the women’s shelter. Xander must be trying to track her through her credit cards and phone. She meets a woman, Mitali, who has been in this safe house three times, then Googles herself and sees that Xander is dead.
Day Four: Benny
Benny goes to Joy’s to talk to Mallory. She says she was “afraid things had gotten out of hand.”
Keller shows up. Xander died of a head injury but not from the crash. She asks Benny to show her the fire extinguisher. It’s missing. Someone burned the forest where the car crashed but brought a fire extinguisher.
Keller brings up the money transfers and Benny says he didn’t do it. But Keller points out that the fact that Xander thought Benny did it would have made him furious.
Day Five: Joy
Joy remembers Xander is dead. She had just finished uploading the audio file when he came in. She remembers pain, broken glass, and waking up on the sofa.
Mitali comes to her door. She feels faint. She’s been trying to taper off her narcolepsy medication due otherwise he pregnancy. She asks Mitali to reach out to Benny and let him know she’s okay.
After more sleep, she recalls all the times Xander came between her and Benny.
Mitali comes back and says she couldn’t figure out how to reach Benny, so she called the police.
Day Five: Benny
Sarah and Benny go to find the site of the crash. They don’t find any crime scene tape.
They head next to Quinn’s cupcake shop. Quinn and Benny trade insults and Sarah tries to make peace. Quinn says that Benny is the most likely suspect, that he probably knew about the divorce, and that they were plotting to push Xander out before the distribution deal.
Quinn admits that Xander promised Mallory a bonus after the distribution deal went through, for spying.
Quinn also alludes to worse things Xander has done. Quinn suspects that Xander was doing Muenchausen by proxy stuff to Mallory..
Day Five: Joy
Joy asks Gloria if she can see a doctor.
Joy’s plan was to send Benny the PDF of her memoir, record an episode saying they were taking a break, and hide out after serving Xander with divorce papers. Then she realized she owed Benny an explanation in person, so she put the note in his pocket.
Joy asks Mitali if she called the police. Joy has a dream about planting vegetables in the garden with Carlotta, which seems significant.
Day Five: Benny
Sarah and Benny discuss whether Mallory could have killed Xander. And what was the “shit that went down” between Emil and Xander.
Sarah wonders why Mallory tried to talk Benny out of posting a plea on their website. Could she be deleting leads? Then Benny checks listener submissions and there’s one that said ‘I Survived an Abusive Spouse” with just two thumbs up like the Fonz.
They go back to Joy’s house. Benny notices a ceiling grill in their recording studio. There’s a camera inside with an SD card.
They run out of the house and into Ted. Benny grabs Ted’s camera and flings it to the ground.
Day Six: Benny
Benny goes to the ER to treat a finger injured in the scuffle. Sarah says he scared her. As they get to Benny’s house, the media is there and the police arrest him.
Day Six: Joy
Joy recalls that Carlotta mentioned the women’s shelter and also apologized that Emil recommended Shake Awake, the toxic shake sponsor. The company founder was one of Emil’s training clients, and Xander traded ads for a stake in the company.
Carlotta sees Joy’s bruises and tells her that she’s worried for Joy. A week later, Joy found out she was pregnant.
Day Six: Benny
After Benny is processed at the jail, he’s allowed to call Sarah, who says that Luna found him a lawyer.
The lawyer, Philip Kim, gets Benny out on his own recognizance and they meet to discuss his case.
Philip has found the connection between Emily, Xander and Shake Awake. Benny mentions the SD card. Some of the files are messed up but they are able to watch some clips.
Day Seven: Joy
Joy googles herself again and sees that Benny has been arrested. She tries to find Mitali, but she is gone. She passes out or falls asleep.
Day Seven: Benny
One of the videos shows Joy answering her phone and asking someone if they were at their “dinner thing.” As she tells the person “the file is in your cloud,” she looks right at the camera.
Benny confronts Mallory, who denies being the person Joy called OR knowing about the camera. She claims she was trapped and trying to look out for Joy.
Sarah and Benny head to Luna’s, who confesses she knows where Joy is.
Day Seven: Joy
She falls asleep and then imagines Benny is there.
Day Seven: Benny
They convince Luna to tell them where Joy is, evade the media, and head to the shelter.
Gloria won’t let them in but agree to check on Joy. Then Frankie starts yelling about an ambulance.
Day Seven: Benny
Benny, Sarah and Luna sit in the hospital waiting room. Luna says that Joy knew Xander was monitoring her.
Her first plan: leave the memoir for Benny then hide out at the shelter while Luna gave Xander divorce papers.
Her new plan: tell Benny that she was divorcing Xander, Xander would watch and lose it, and it would all be on tape. Then Joy called and said she’d done it. Luna rushed to the house, saw Joy was injured, and started banging on the window.
Benny realizes Luna is lying. There was more than one camera. Luna is covering something up and misleading both him and the police.
The doctor comes with an update: after Joy miscarried, they tried to do a D and C but Joy had fibroids and started bleeding. They are giving her a hysterectomy.
Benny calls Joy’s parents, who were on a cruise and unable to get back. Benny sees Joy but she’s very weak. Keller comes to the hospital to say that Xander hired the stalkers.
Day Eight: Joy
Keller is interviewing Joy, who says she told Xander she as leaving him, and he hit her. She kneed him in the groin and he fell and hit his head on the recording table.
She flagged down a car and headed to the shelter. Where she hallucinated Mitali offering to help her.
Keller asks how Xander ended up in a forest. Joy suggests that’s where he went to cool down. He had a fire extinguisher because his car was fire prone.
She was the one who tried to put money in Benny’s account. She had his password because he was forgetful.
Benny asks Joy if she’s going to tell the police the truth. She says no.
Day 385: Benny
Xander’s death was ruled an accident.
Charges were dropped against Benny.
The memoir came out.
Emil was the one who sent them the warning about the shake powder.
Joy says she’s finally ready to give their relationship a chance (!!)
Day 386: Joy
Joy finally decided to watch the footage from Xander’s secret cameras:
She watches Xander smack her in the face and then grab her by the arms and shake her. She knees him in the groin. He shoves her and she hits her head. He kisses he and says he loves her.
Luna shows up, distracting Xander. Joy kicks him and then hits him in the head with the Fonzie statue.
Luna is able to break the window, then let in Carlotta and Emil. Emil restrains Xander on the floor while Carlotta and Joy prepare to flee.
Emil realizes that Xander is not moving. He does chest compressions, but Xander is gone.
Luna wants to call the police but Carlotta says that Emil knows how to crash a car.
They all plot how to stage the car accident and the house to erase their presence.She kneed him, but she’s the one who fell and hit her head. Luna tries to get inside the house.
Luna and Emil remove all the cameras but one and delete the surveillance videos off Xander’s laptop.
Luna stages the scene, making the broken window look like an accident from the wind. Emil carries Xander to the car, drives him to the forest, swerves the car, and jumps out.
No one realized that in the chaos, Potsie escaped.
In the present Joy now smashes the SD cards that Luna saved for her. Luna says that Benny thinks she killed Xander and that’s how it has to be. Benny is a terrible liar. They agree on the story that each of them will tell.
As a surprise, Benny has redone the Zen Shed as a Happy Days Themed recording studio.
My Take on the Ending of This Story Might Save Your Life
Of course I’m happy Benny and Joy can be together, but if you are a crime fiction reader you also need ANSWERS!
There were a lot of moving parts and several versions of the story: one for the police, one for Benny, and one that’s Joy and Luna’s full story. Did I get this all right? If you disagree, leave me a comment.
Benny’s version of the 7 pm meeting:
A. Joy told Benny she wants to put the podcast on hiatus. She won’t tell him why. She wants to put out a statement. She starts recording.
B. BUT Joy then asks Benny about the reasons for his divorce. He says that Luna knew he could never love her enough. Because he was in love with Joy.
She doesn’t answer and he asks her what Xander did. She tells him to leave and that she wants to do the recording alone. Benny also says he will kill Xander if he hurt her. (Evidence: Keller plays this recording for Benny).
C. Joy kicks Benny out and after that Xander send him two texts: “Call me,” and then “What Have You Done.”
Luna’s version:
Luna tells Benny and Sarah that in the course of their discussions about her divorce, Joy told Luna that she knew Xander was monitoring her. Her plan was to tell Benny that she was divorcing Xander, Xander would watch and lose it, and it would all be on tape.
But that didn’t happen.
It’s unclear to me exactly what happened to trigger the fight between Xander and Joy. The photo of Benny and Joy embracing? The divorce? The money transfer? All of the above? If you think you have an answer, leave it in comments!
Joy’s story to the police (which we know is incomplete):
Joy says she told Xander she as leaving him, and he hit her. She kneed him in the groin and he fell and hit his head on the recording table. She saw her opportunity to get herself and her baby to safety, so flagged down a car and headed to the shelter.
Luna’s account to Benny:
Joy called and said she’d told Xander she was divorcing him. Luna rushed to the house, saw Joy was injured, and started banging on the window. This does dovetail with what Joy says above, just leaving out the part where Luna, Carlotta and Emil are involved.
Why did Joy send Benny away the night before she vanished?
After he told her he loved her, she felt like she couldn’t involve him in her plan to tape Xander abusing her. So she sent him away and did it herself.
Why did the police say Xander died of a head injury if Emil’s police hold killed him?
This isn’t really explained. The book says Xander has a preliminary autopsy (which according to the internet, is just external observation) that shows a head injury and brain bleed. The book doesn’t mention a complete autopsy. I did some research and in some cases with a police hold murder, the autopsy shows signs of asphyxiation.
It’s possible the brain bleed actually killed him and Emil thought he was at fault OR the coroner didn’t find signs of asphyxiation OR no invasive autopsy was done.
Do you have questions? Leave them below in comments and we will crowdsource an answer!